Paris' 80-Foot Butt Plug... er, Tree

PARIS, France—The French are wondering, if you have an 80-foot tall butt plug, how large is the bidet that belongs to its owner? It's not exactly a philosophical question. Such a butt plug is currently on public display at Place Vendôme in Paris, courtesy of artist Paul McCarthy. As HuffPo notes, however, the giant green monster is really an artistic rendering of something that grows in forests. "Of course, the massive sculpture isn't technically a butt plug," they report. "It's a Christmas tree, simply dubbed 'Tree,' that's made its way to Place Vendôme in Paris. The piece is part of the International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC)... and is showing in conjunction with McCarthy's first solo show in France—'Chocolate Factory.'" But is it real chocolate? Not everyone is pleased as punch with the "tree." As HuffPo adds, "Yet despite all the seemingly obvious signs—it's art, McCarthy's an artist, FIAC is an art fair—the inflatable masterpiece is attracting attention not for its aesthetic uniqueness but for its resemblance to sex toys. In fact, France's far-right is not convinced the 24-meter high plant is an objet d'art at all." One such objector, Printemps Français, tweeted, "'Anal plug or tree' Place Vendôme is disfigured... Paris is humiliated!" A few others are equally outraged, but as Jennifer Flay, artistic director of FIAC, told Le Monde, tough merde! "Of course this work is controversial," she actually said. "It plays on the ambiguity between a Christmas tree and a plug: this is neither a surprise nor a secret. But there is no offense against the public and enough ambiguity to not disturb the children. This work has also received all necessary approvals: the Prefecture of Police, the Mayor of Paris and the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Comité Vendôme... What is art [meant to do] if not to disturb, to prompt questions, to reveal flaws in the company?" Vive la France!